Laurence Dollimore
JUNTA de Andalucia president Juanma Moreno has said he is prepared toughen mobility and hospitality restrictions – if the national government does not order a second lockdown first.
Speaking on Antena 3 today, Moreno said if infections continue to rise he will restrict travel between cities, tighten the closing times of bars and restaurants and extend the curfew hours.
The tougher decisions would come into force from November 9, when the current measures are scheduled to end or be extended.
But the Partido Popular leader reiterated that a home confinement like the lockdown seen in March is still the last resort.
“If we close the economy, it means seeing yet again millions of euros in losses for the hospitality and services industry, and for the cultural sector, while unemployment would surpass 30%, that is a fact that worries and alarms us a lot,” Moreno said.
“We are going to take all the measures that we deem necessary… but I consider home confinement to be the last resort.
“There is a difficult balance between health, i.e saving lives, which must prevail above everything, and sustaining our economy… we have to act boldly, with great intelligence and see if the measures are working.”
While he is not considering a total lockdown ‘for now’, Moreno said he has asked the central government for that option to be prepared in case the virus continues to grow out of control.
He added that the measure should be implemented if it’s the only way to ‘save Christmas.’
“We are going to wait and see if the current measures are working, we are going to give it a little bit more time, but resources are running out,” Moreno said.
“Faced with this pandemic, we can only hope for a workable treatment or a vaccine, and the only effective measure is to limit movement until the vaccine and/or treatment arrive; and if it has to be locked down, let it be locked down as soon as possible to try and save Christmas, which as we know is one of the most critical periods of economic activity in the whole year.”
